8/9 - Cubs (Hendricks) vs Mets (Peterson): 6:10pm, Marquee

[Dfan25]

Just now, Derwood said:

 

Nailed it

Just not the right time for a bunt , not with Morel on deck .  Ross is just really dumb as a manager .

[JBears79]

Having madrigal bunt was idiotic

[UMFan83]

1 minute ago, Irrelevant Dude said:

That was an absolutely awful way to lose., bunting and giving up an out in front of possibly the worst hitter in the lineup in that situation.  That also effectively took the bat out of Nico's hands with the open base at first.  So instead of needing 1 hit from Madrigal, Morel, or Nico, we got strikeouts from Morel and Happ.

I hate when I can see a bad decision in real time, predict how it plays out and then it happens exactly like that.  

Morel was the DH, PH Gomes there if you have to.  Makes no sense that he would purposely punt 33% of his remaining outs then put one of the worst people for contact up there

[Dfan25]

If they wanted to bunt there , the play was to bunt with Barnhart and then PH Madrigal for Morel . 

[Irrelevant Dude]

Just now, TomtheBombadil said:

It cannot be both that Morel’s this super awesome young hitter and also he shouldn’t be put in a 1 out/2 RISP position in a run game 

It absolutely can. I want his bat in the lineup, but he's also not the guy I want at the plate when a ball needs to be put in play.

[We Got The Whole 9]

When we had that string of really stupid bunts earlier this season wasn't that pretty much the start of the terrible slump they endured? 

 

I just don't understand how this dude keeps thinking these are prudent decisions. 

[Derwood]

1 minute ago, TomtheBombadil said:

That’s insane 

It's just sub-prime Javy 2.0

[Irrelevant Dude]

Just now, TomtheBombadil said:

That’s insane. Literally any contact ties the game and he gives a completely uncompetitive PA 

I'm not sure what you're arguing there. It seems like you're agreeing that he wasn't the best guy for that situation.

[chibears55]

Just now, We Got The Whole 9 said:

When we had that string of really stupid bunts earlier this season wasn't that pretty much the start of the terrible slump they endured? 

 

I just don't understand how this dude keeps thinking these are prudent decisions. 

I get doing it in a way, maybe he didn't like the Madrigal matchup and figured it would be best to get the tying run on third with less then 2 outs and hope one of the two can get him home...

[Dfan25]

Hopefully they dont cool off at the same time on offense . They really can’t afford any  losing streaks 

[chibears55]

5 minutes ago, UMFan83 said:

I hate when I can see a bad decision in real time, predict how it plays out and then it happens exactly like that.  

Morel was the DH, PH Gomes there if you have to.  Makes no sense that he would purposely punt 33% of his remaining outs then put one of the worst people for contact up there

Didn't even think about that, he definitely should have done that.

[muntjack]

1 minute ago, chibears55 said:

I get doing it in a way, maybe he didn't like the Madrigal matchup and figured it would be best to get the tying run on third with less then 2 outs and hope one of the two can get him home...

He literally pinch hit Madrigal.

[Rex Buckingham]

Just pinch hit Gomes for Amaya instead of bunting. He's repeatedly come up big in the clutch. 

[chibears55]

2 minutes ago, Dfan25 said:

Hopefully they dont cool off at the same time on offense . They really can’t afford any  losing streaks 

Going to Toronto won't be easy as is, I hope the pitching provides a big spark this weekend. 

[Derwood]

2023 Morel over a full season is a 35 HR, 110 RBI guy who also strikes out 200 times. It's not crazy to want him in the lineup and also cringe when you need the guy to put the ball in play

[chibears55]

2 minutes ago, muntjack said:

He literally pinch hit Madrigal.

Yea, I forgot when I typed that

[UMFan83]

1 minute ago, chibears55 said:

Didn't even think about that, he definitely should have done that.

Or, I'm not sure how good of a bunter Barnhart is, but PH Barnhart to bunt (and he stays in at catcher) and PH Madrigal, who is a much better bet to get a run home with 2nd and 3rd and 1 out.

[Irrelevant Dude]

Just now, TomtheBombadil said:

What is this best nonsense? Why does every situation need The Best most perfectest conditions to work out? He was set up for success and whiffed or stared at 93 instead 

The manager needs to consider the personnel when he decides to bunt in that situation. If Nico Hoerner is on deck, I'm actually fine with the bunt.  As it was though, the Cubs were ALREADY setup for success before the bunt, and then game up an out prior to putting a huge strikeout risk in a situation where contact was a must.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I'm oversimplifying, but if I'm choosing between the risk that the top of the order fails a 2nd/3rd 1 out situation, the risk that a catcher fails to get a sac bunt down and they still need a hit against a regular IF to score a run, or the risk that a catcher(or Madrigal) hits into a DP and Morel needs a hit, I know which one I'm choosing.

[Irrelevant Dude]

Just now, TomtheBombadil said:

He used high contact, GB Nick Madrigal to move both runners into scoring position with one out for the lineup’s fastball hitting DH who also hits more flyballs than most Cubs. What is not being considered? That a hitter might K against a reliever in 2023? I submit you’ve all gone mad cheering for this franchise to lose games too long 

Exactly.

[UMFan83]

13 minutes ago, TomtheBombadil said:

He used high contact, GB Nick Madrigal to move both runners into scoring position with one out for the lineup’s fastball hitting DH who also hits more flyballs than most Cubs. What is not being considered? That a hitter might K against a reliever in 2023? Booooo get a real DH

Morel has struck out in 53% of his ABs over the last 2 weeks, it’s not like he’s been hitting well lately. I get that he hits FB well but his strikeout rate seems much more relevant here if you’re going to give up an out to give yourself one chance to drive in the tying run without a hit

Also he didn’t have to PH Madrigal, he chose to bring in the high GB high contact guy in to bunt. 

Edited August 10, 2023 by UMFan83

[squally1313]

Popping in late and uninformed on the current discussion to say that the batting order matters, even if just a little bit, and currently our best hitters are hitting fourth and sixth. Up higher please. 

[UMFan83]

4 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

Popping in late and uninformed on the current discussion to say that the batting order matters, even if just a little bit, and currently our best hitters are hitting fourth and sixth. Up higher please. 

As pointed out on Twitter it’s the second time in the last 10 days that Bellinger has been on deck while the Cubs make the final out of a 1 run loss. 
 

I usually don’t get too worked up about batting order though

[Transmogrified Tiger]

 

8 minutes ago, UMFan83 said:

Morel has struck out in 53% of his ABs over the last 2 weeks, it’s not like he’s been hitting well lately. I get that he hits FB well but his strikeout rate seems much more relevant here. 

Also he didn’t have to PH Madrigal, he chose to bring in the high GB high contact guy in to bunt. 

Even if you assume Morel is 70% to fail in that situation and so is Nico + Happ with 2 outs, you've given yourself coinflip odds of tying the game and probably only a little bit less than that of taking the lead.  Madrigal or a catcher had to take that plate appearance, so a DP is a serious risk no matter what and it will take an uncommon result to move the runners over without a bunt.  So you remove the DP risk and trade the odds of one of those guys driving in the runner for the increased chance at both tying the game and taking the lead.  It's a good decision.

[Irrelevant Dude]

14 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

Popping in late and uninformed on the current discussion to say that the batting order matters, even if just a little bit, and currently our best hitters are hitting fourth and sixth. Up higher please. 

On that note, Ian Happ in the 3 spot is currently sitting at a career low .405 SLG.  It's great that he gets on base a lot, but he isn't doing nearly enough to be a middle of the lineup hitter.

Why not put Happ and his magic OBP skills in the leadoff spot?  Happ-Nico-Bellinger-Candelario

 

Edited August 10, 2023 by Irrelevant Dude